BIOTECHNOLOGY OF LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BACTERIOPHAGE RESISTANCE

Lactic acid bacteria play an important role in many food and feed ferm entations. In recent years major advances have been made in unravellin g the genetic and molecular basis of significant industrial traits of lactic acid bacteria. Bacteriophages which can infect and destroy lact ic acid bacteria pose a particularly serious threat to dairy fermentat ions that can result in serious economic losses. Consequently, these o rganisms and the mechanisms by which they interact with their hosts ha ve received much research attention. This paper reviews some of the ke y discoveries over the years that have led us to our current understan ding of bacteriophages themselves and the means by which their disrupt ive influence may be minimized.